With all that 2020 brought, it did give me some extra time to reflect on the person I am and the things I could work on.

With everyone together 24/7, it also accentuated some other known quirks:

I am stubborn and I don’t like being told what to do.
I gravitate to be an “all or nothing” kind of girl. I like to do projects all at once, not in pieces. It makes sense to do a load of laundry a day, so it doesn’t pile up, but I veer to saving it all up and then attempting to do 10 loads all at once.
I tend to live with the notion that not trying is better than failing. So, instead of going forward and risking that it won’t go as planned, I am inclined to stay put. I need to be ‘encouraged’ to step out a little.
Failure is all encompassing. It’s hard to let go of a past failure and the regret that comes with it and move ahead.

(Ugh. I never said I was wise or mature.)

There in comes the dilemma of New Year’s resolutions. I detest them. Those 4 ‘quirks’ don’t lend themselves to great fulfilment of new year goals.

Being reluctant to being told what to do, is hard place to start in setting new goals.
Achieving goals is a step by step, long term habit forming process. Hard for a girl who doesn’t naturally do bite sized pieces.
Believing you’re better off without trying is a non-starter when looking to try something new.
Letting past fails define what is possible is highly demotivating (even if it’s not true).

I know that goals are important, striving to do/be better is important. The beginning of a new year is an obvious time to get started. Ultimately, my biggest desire is that I want to be a better follower of Jesus. I want to know Him more intimately and be faithful and obedient to Him. One of the best ways I know to do that is to read His Word.

I am here to pledge in front of you, that my New Year’s goal is to read the Bible on a daily basis. Shocking, I know! I spend a lot of time thinking about ministry and how to introduce people to Jesus and I struggle with reading the Bible daily.

Reading the Bible on a regular basis is important because God allows us to know Him through the words and stories He has given us. If we want to know Him, we have to know His Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Some of you may struggle with this, or maybe it’s another spiritual discipline that would help you connect more to God. (prayer, fasting, fellowship, rest, service, generosity)

https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/325192-12-spiritual-disciplines-that-will-make-your-faith-strong-brandon-hilgemann.html/8

Here’s my plan.

I am choosing to set a goal.
I am going to set a plan in place that is doable.
1. What, how, where, when?
I am going to reward myself for small victories. (Chocolate is always good ;)
I am going to be accountable.
I am going to remind myself that it takes 2-3 months to form a new habit and be kind to myself when I miss a day and pick up where I left off.

God has given us this amazing gift of His words. In it, we can know Him, see how He sees us, and He speaks to us through it! I don’t want to miss any more moments!

If you too, are looking for a way to get started there are a kazillion resources out there, online as well hard copies.

The youversion Bible app is a great tool that is handy on your phone or other device. https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/

You can pick a Bible reading plan that suits you. You can read through the Bible in a year, daily minute devotions, topical readings, book based plans and seasonal plans.

https://www.bible.com/en-GB/reading-plans

I’m following this Walk through the Bible in a Year plan that is “daily bite-sized chunks of devotions and scripture to help you stay focused, at a comfortable pace and without overwhelming yourself.” https://www.bible.com/en-GB/reading-plans/2129-walk-with-god-for-365-days

For the kids and families in your life, there is the Bible app for kids. “Kid-friendly navigation helps them find and select whichever story they want, then reads it aloud to them in a friendly narrative style. Throughout each story, fun, interactive animations keep children engaged, and select stories even include games designed to help them learn, understand, and retain important Bible story concepts.” https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app-for-kids/

https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/guide

Will you join me in this New Year challenge? If not this, is there something else you want to work on to connect with God more in 2021? We as a church want to come alongside you in 2021. Let us know what goal you set and also if we can help you find a resource or help you meet your goal.

And hey, if you see me on zoom or on facebook, or want to send me a quick email, I’d love to answer your query, “Nancy, how are you doing with your daily Bible readings?”

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105

Nancy Varga

Family Ministries Director

Amberlea Presbyterian Church